Page 277 of Out of Left Field

“Do you want kids one day?”

Funny he should ask. “I thought about that when I was talking to Beth, actually. It was one of the reasons I made the deal. I don’t want any kid of mine to meet her. Ever.”

His fingers drew lazy circles on my skin. “So is that a yes to kids?”

With Everett? Yes. A longing ached inside me. Not for children specifically, but to finally fill the blank space that always existed around me. “I always felt like our lives weren’t complete. Like when Beth left she ripped apart all these possibilities, all this future. It’s like I’ve been untethered ever since. Just me and Dad floating on the ocean, never quite reaching a destination. But then…” Moving here, reuniting with Seth and Everett, falling in love, it was as if my feet finally found the ground again. “Well, let’s just say I’m looking forward to the future again. We’re building a new family. I think I want kids, but I’m also happy to let life take us where it wants us.”

His eyes crinkled at the corners. “Letting the Universe decide?”

I shrugged. “It seems to know what it’s doing.”

His fingers brushed my chin, my lips, the tip of my nose. “That's the best thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”

“The best?”

Next thing I knew I was on my back with this large hunk of man hovering over me. “So far. Until you say yes.”

My heart skipped a beat. “A yes to what?”

“Marrying me.”

“We just started dating.”

“Babe, we’ve been dating for a decade. Besides, I didn’t ask you yet.”

He kissed me soundly, reminding me that we were definitely not strangers. I slid my arms around his neck and kissed him back. “Well, just so you know, when you ask my answer is yes.”

He grinned. “You just spoiled it.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“We should practice.”

I tugged on his beard. “Practice what exactly?”

The most mischievous glint flashed across his eyes and I got the impression I was in deep, wonderful trouble. Then he lowered his lips to my ear and growled, “Making babies.”

My belly flipped and I squeezed my legs around his hips. “Practice, huh?”

“I want to make sure I’m real good at it so when we’re ready the Universe has no excuses.”

“Isn’t that just having lots of sex?”

He pressed up on his hands, glaring down at me with a wicked grin as he ground his erection against my center. “It’s so much more than that, my lovely siren.”

I melted, as usual, when he flipped on the bedroom eyes. “Do tell.” I ran my nails through his beard, scratching his chin.

“Well there’s making sure I’m good and buried deep.” He thrust against me. “And I’ve heard that your orgasm is very important for conceiving.”

“Where did you hear this?” I laughed. I wasn’t upset about it, but never in a million years could I picture Everett reading up on this subject for fun.

Another wicked smile. He lowered back down so his chest pressed against mine. “I am a man of many talents, Willa Cooper. For instance, I’ve been reading through that list of books you sent me.”

I gulped. Everett asked for some of my favorite romances. He called it research. But we’d been so busy I assumed he hadn’t had time.

Apparently I was wrong.

“Road trips are lonely, my love,” he purred, sliding me further down the bed. “Reading books that turn you on when I’m alone in bed at night is my new favorite pastime.” He slid a thick pillow under my shoulder blades which thrust my breasts into the air. My thin cami did nothing to hide my hard nipples. Then he took my hands in his, placing them above my head. “Three of the books had a scene just like this.”